The fight against anti-Semitism is one of the priority directions in Bulgaria’s human rights policy. State institutions have consistently condemned manifestations of an anti-Semitic nature, both nationally and internationally.
The assignation of a national coordinator for combating anti-Semitism in 2017 also made a significant contribution to strengthening the fight against anti-Semitism. In order to establish and maintain regular coordination and dialogue with the organizations of Bulgarian Jews and between state institutions, a Contact Group was established in January 2018 under the chairmanship of the national coordinator for combating anti-Semitism.
Since 2018, Bulgaria has been a full member of the IHRA, the leading international organization for the commemoration of the victims of the Holocaust and research and education on this topic. With its accession, Bulgaria has once again confirmed its consistent position against the denial and distortion of the Holocaust.
One of the priorities of the first Bulgarian presidency of the Council of the EU (January 1 – June 30, 2018) in the field of human rights was the fight against manifestations of anti-Semitism and the strengthening of ethnic and religious tolerance. The initiatives of the Bulgarian presidency significantly contributed to increasing the visibility of the fight against anti-Semitism on the EU agenda and helped to establish active contacts and dialogue between the EU and the IHRA.
In October 2021, within the framework of the International Forum at the highest level in Malmö, Sweden, Bulgaria made the following four national commitments:
- making the position of the national coordinator for combating anti-Semitism permanent, at the level of a deputy minister, assigned by order of the Minister of Foreign Affairs;
- extending the use of the working definition of anti-Semitism to professional sports;
- exploring the possibility of creating a permanent exhibition and/or a virtual “Pantheon of Saviors” dedicated to the rescue of Bulgarian Jews during the Second World War;
- development and adoption of a National Plan to combat anti-Semitism.
In fulfillment of these commitments, with the Decision of the Council of Ministers of November 2, 2022, the position of the national coordinator for combating anti-Semitism was institutionalized in a permanent one. This function is performed by a Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs assigned by order of the Minister of Foreign Affairs. This ensures the continuity and effectiveness of efforts to combat anti-Semitism.
As of 2020, as a result of the consistent efforts of the Bulgarian state institutions, the xenophobic and neo-Nazi illuminated procession “Lukov March” was stopped.
The electronic system for combating anti-Semitism “Report anti-Semitism” was created under the project “Youth for Tolerance: Methods and Good Practices in Combating Anti-Semitism and Hate Speech” by CJBC “Alef” and the National Research Council, Institute of Educational Technology from Italy. It is supported by the European Practitioners Network Against Anti-Semitism (EPNA) and funded by the German Federal Foreign Office.
